Improved smelting-fttrnace



mw-eeseMw CHARLES II. SWAIN, OF BROOKLYN, 1hlEWl YORK.

Letters Patent N 91,493, dated June 15, 1869.

IMPROVED SMELTING--FURNACE- The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

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To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. SwArN, ofthe city of Brooklyn, New York, have made new and valuable Improvements in Furnaces for Smelting Ores; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description lthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specilication.

The nature of my improvements consists in the arrangement of the pipes-for the supply of gas and atmospheric air, and in the general construction of the interior of the furnace.

To enable others skilled in the arts to make and use my improvements, I will ,proceed to describe its construction and operation.

llignre 1 is an upright sectional viewof the furnace.

A A is the inside ofthe furnace, properly lined with tire-brick, or other material, to protect it from burning.

B shows the opening through which atmospheric air is passed, the oxygen of which unites at G', with the gas, as it is expelled by the expansion of the vapors from the hydrocarbon-fluids in the retorts E E, through the pipes G.

D D is an air-drum, placed around the furnace, near the bottom, into which the air from a blower is blown, and unites at- G'G' with the gas, and is with gas blown into the furnace through holes in the fire-brick lining, as shown at G G'.

. E E are retorts, Figure 2, placed in an open space, made by leaving one course ofthe lining out, and may be made in one or more parts, and arranged, as shown in tig. 2, wnith rods of iron, that pass through the ontside of the furnace, by meansof which the retorts may be'drawn` away` from the front or face of the lining, to

the back side of the same, and placed, at pleasure, in such position as is necessary to vaporize the hydrocarbon-fluids, and at the same time not have toolgreat a heat against theside of the retort to melt it.

F is the feed, through which ore is supplied to the inside of the furnace.

G G are pipes, through which the vaporized fluid from the ret-orts E E passes through the opening at G' Gto the inside of the furnace.

His a pipe, leading from a vessel containing the fluid to the retorts E E.

J is the outlet for the slag and ore.

It R R R, iig. 2are rods of iron, to change the posit-ion of the retort, more particularly described at E E.

To connnence operations with this furnace, I proceed as follows:

I supply the oil or fluid to the retorts E E, and make a re of light and combustible material, and heat the retorts to a degree suticicnt to raporize the fluid. When the flow of gas, caused by the expansion of the` Huid, comes to the mouth of the pipes at G' G., it is carried through the holes in the linings, and at once ignites as-it enters into the furnace. 'l he flames are carried upward, and brought in contact with the retorts E E, thus continuing to vaporize the tiuid.

\Vhen a steady supply ot' gas is obtained, and the furnace becomes properly heated, I supply it with ore, to be drawn off at J when slnelted. p

This process is applicable to all kinds of ores, not mentioned in my patent of March 9, 1869, and may be advantageously used for melting metals in crucibles, or otherwise.

U laims.

I .flo not confine myself 'to the size or shape of the furnace, the number or position of the retorts, or the numbcl of pipes or jets of gas, or the position in which they may enter the furnace, placing then at the sides or under the bottom of the furnace, or in both at the same time, if desired; but

What I do claim as my improvements, and desire 4to secure by Letters Patent, is-

'lhe arrangement of the retorts in the sides of the furnace, with pipes leading from them, and conveying the vaporized iuid to the inside ofthe furnace, or under the bottom of the same, and mixing it with the oxygen ofthe air through the openings at G lr', and driving the combined gas and oxygen into and up through the ores to be sinelted.

lVitnesses: CHARLES H. S\VAIN.

ALEX. FINNEY, J. MCKENNEY. 

